Wichita eagle., 1887-01-01
SORTING C0COANUTS.
A SHIP LOAD OF $1,000 BROUGHT
FROM BARACOA.

Testing the Quality of Each Nut-CsinS
the Spoiled Ones as q Substitute for
Steam Tramps.
A little lead colored steamer, drawing no
more than nine feet of water when loaded,
lay at a pier near Coenties slip. People
familiar with shipping would have said at a
glance that she was in the fruit or some such
trade to the Spanish main on account OF her
size and looks A gang of men were lifting
bushel baskets full of cocoanuts over The low
hatch combing amidships and sliding them
along greasy planks toward another gang OF
men on the pier. These men lifted the bas-
kets I'D on to the low tables made OF plaIIl;s
laid on top Of cheap barrels. Three baskets
could be accommodated at one time on each
of the two tables A man before each basket
picked the nuts up, one in each hand, and
knocked them together lightly, and then
either tossed them into big coarse bag
which a man held open before the table or
tossed them to a heap on the pier.
Those thrown to the pier were spoiled more
Or less, some OF them being SO far decayed as
to break open. Those thrown into the bags
were sound. The light tap told the quality or
the nut to the inspector. Each bag held 1GO,
and soon as filed it was drawn to one side and
had its mouth sewed up by man who used
q needle nine inches long and soft jute twino
for thread Other men gathered the spoiled
nuts into bags and loaded them into a COW
cred wagon that had nothing painted on it to
indicate its ownership. a reporter who
watched the men found that from FIVE to
seven nuts were rejected for every bag that
was filled One of the workers, although
kept busy either passing along the full bas-
kets or the empty ones lack, found time TO
talk He said:
ssThis vessel brought IS, 900 OF the nuts from
Baracoa. We began on them at I O'CLOCK
this morning, and will have them all out by
8 o'clock. We are paid by the hour At long
shorenens rates The boss took the con-
tract to discharge this cargo at sixty cents
per 900.
THE SPOILED ONES.
sWhat is done with the spoiled ones!'
''They are sold to that man Indicating a
man by the unmarked wagon. he is a
baker and confectioner. He says they make
a better and cheaper fire than coal. Rather
curious. though, that only bakers and con-
fectioners should have learned what good
fuel they are"
The nuts were slowed loose in the hold OF
the vessel, with nothing TO keep them from
shifting in case the steamer got q heavy
lurch during gale on her way to port.
merchant who was familiar with the trade
said:
"We import from 100000 to Is, 0O(
| cocoanuts a year. On an average rs pei
cent of them spoil on the way. About one
| half Of them come from Baracoa. San Bias
is the next port Of consequence. The lIttI'
| steamers are driving the schooners out OF The
| business, although the heat of the engine
| rooms is detrimental to the nuts. Six year.
ago there was not single steamer in thu
Baracoa trade. In 1881 there were ID
schooner cargoes brought here from Bsracoa
In 1882 there were five steamer cargoe
brought-all American. Tho schooner car
goes rose to POI in 1888, besides IA Yankee
steamer cargoes The next year the British
tramp entered the trade and in two years Gu
the schooner cargoes to 4S, while the humble
Of steam tramp cargoes rose to ~ Tbs Yam
kee steamers barely held their own with II
cargoes, 1t is case OF the survival OF tn
fittest. The fact is, the steamers, althoug
| fying the British flag, are in great par
owned by American capital. Cocoanuts a
| Baracoa cost two cents each, delivered o.
board the steamer free There is very llttl
| freighting done, the steamers and cargoes DC
longing usually to the firms engaged in til
| trade New York Sun.